Stop mechanism for knitting-machines.



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i. it l". entrer 1 follia, in the county of Fhiladel- State et inennsjrlvenie, have in,

new .inl useful improve- Stop iileclianisrn l iiiitting-3deI r ference being had to the eeeomjoanyv il lie inven J.on relates more particularly to stop mechanism which. may he manually oontrolled, so as to stop the knittingI nie- ,'-3iinc under cert-afin predetermined condi-` 4 ions. A, i

The invention is enplied to a knitting rneli.' e liai'finga needle cylinder which rotates ch is oscillated at times,which knit- ,nncliine is providedwith e fabric reing cage, or basket, which rotates withi cylinder and which remains idle during osolh tions of the cylinder. i object of the invention is to provide *manually control-led Ineens for stopping the itting machine before the pattern mechanism throws the parte, so as to begin the rotary motion of the cylinder and fabric receiving has tet, whereby the operator may, with safety.1 reach into the basket to remove the knitted fabric or nel? Withont any dan ger of said cage being rotated While the web being removed.

lathe drawings which show oy Way of illustration one embodiment of the invention, Figure l, is a side View of a portion of a knitting machine? having my improve ments lapplied thereto. Fig. ll, is a iront view of the seme, the fabric enge being re- 'inored Fig. lll, is a detail in. section through the frame showing a portion of the u pattern mechanism in side elevation, and

the controlling arm for stopping the machine. iilig. lV, is a plan View showing the ial'iric cage and the means for operating the saine. and parts of the operating mechanism Y. r the knitting machine. Fig. V, is a sectional View ot' the lower end of the needle crlinder, the means for supporting the same ind the fabric supporting cage or receiver. Vl, is a detail perspective vieiiot cer-v tain elements comprised in the stopping mechanism. I

"l'iie invention is embodied in :t lrnittin.etl machine haring a needle. cylinder which may he rotated :for circular knitting, and which 'may 'oe cscillated fdr knitting the ii el end toe pochet'of `a stocking. A fabric 'supporting cage is provided,`wliich receives -web or fabric as'it leaves the needle cylinder. Thisvcege is so constructed and operated that it rotates with the cylinder during tlfiewcircnlar lmittinv, but its movement is suspended so that the cage is idle during the oscillating o'the needle cylinder. .The cage is alsoprorided with an opening in its side through which the operato may Withdraw the completed fabric or web. The rotations of the needle cylinder are automatically commenced by the pattern controlling mechanism, and the fabric receiving enge is, at the same time automatically rotated by the needle cylinder.

ln order to prevent the cage being rotated when the'operators hand is inserted in the opening in the cage to Withdraw the completed fabric or web, 'the 'machine is 'equipped with a mannally controlled stop mechanism which consists of i treadle, adapted to 1oe depressed, which throws. a member into the path ot movement of e part actuated by the pattern mechanism, so that when the pattern mechanism shifts to bring about the rotation lof the fabric cage, Said nieniher will be caught and moved eo as to sliii't the driving belt on to the idle pulley,

and thus stop the machine.

The belt and clutch shitting mechanism and the pattern mechanism controlling the same are shown 'described and claimed in my cti-pending application, Serial No. 633,938. filed June 19, lflll.

Referring more in detail 'to toe draWin LTS,

chine consisting of a main frame l, mounted upon suitable legs or standards Q. lilounted in the frame is a driving shaft f5, on which is freely mounted an idle pulley ll, a slow sneed pulley 5, adapted to oscillate the needle cylindegand a high speed pulley 6, adapted to rotate the needle cylinder. The needle cylinder is both rotated and oscillated 1through a bevel gear 7 which meshes With vthe bevel gear 8, supported by the shaft 3.

v fhis bevel gear 8, may be directly connected to a sleeve attached to the high speed driving pulley 6, and 'said bevel gear may also be connectedthrough an oscillating segment 99 andredncing gears GO, and 61. to the slow speed driving pulley 5. The clutch for conerecting" the sleevecarrying the bevel gear 8,

tothe high' or low speed pulleys is controlled the invention is :i lied to irnittinff ma.-

by a lever 10, which is pivoted at 11, to the main frame andncarries a stud 12, at its lower end adapted to cooperate With a pattern drum 13. This drum `13, is moved step by srry through a pan'l and ratchet mech- :mism indicated at 14', in the drawing. This pawl and ratchet mechanism is thrown into artion by a pattern chain 15, carrying' pattern lugs' or high links 1G. The pattern chain is driven through a suitable pawl and ratchet mechanism 17.

The belt is shifted from one driving pulley to another and to the idle pulley by a beltshit'tine; lever 18, which is freely pivoted on a suitable shaft 19, mounted in bearingsI in the main frame l. This lever carries spaced pins `2O, and 21, between which the belt passes and b y the shifting of the lever the belt is carried from one pulley to the other. The belt shifting lever 18, is normally thrown by a sprino 22, so as to hold the belt on the idle pulley 4. An arm 23, is rigidly secured to the supporting shaft 19, and said arm carries a latch 24, having a slot therein, and an 'offset notch 26. The belt shiftingnlever 18, is provided with a pin 27, which is adapted toenfzage the notch The arm 23, 'is provided With a rearward extension 28. see Fig. I, which carries a member adapted to coperate with a face cam 29, which is driven by the pattern mechanism which controls the drumj 13. This arm 23, is moved by a spring; 30, so that the member carried by the extension is held in` contact with 'said face cam. The parts are so ,timed and proportioned that when .the clutch is shifted to cause the ylinder to rotate, theA face cam 29, will shift the arm 23, and through the latch connection 24, move the belt shifting lever 18, so as to bring-thev belt on' to the high speed drivingl pulley. The pattern mechanism may also shift the lever 18, so aste stop the maehinewr so as to cause the needle cylinder to be rotated by the high speed driving pulley yG.

The main frame is provided with' a supporting bed 31, in which .is mounted a gea-r 32, attached to thev needle cylinder, and this gear-32, meshes with a gear 33, which is ixedly attached to the gear 7, above referred to. It is through these gearsthat the needle cylinder is either rotated or oscillate'd. Mounted o'n the ,supporting bed is a fabric supporting cage or receiver 34. This fabric` receiver is cylindrlcal in shape and is mounted ony a suitable support 35fat. its lower end,

which permits 'the fabric receiver to rotate` be withdrawn by the operator when desired.'

This fabric supporting cage is rotated with the cvlinder'by a pin 37, which is carried by the needle cylinder. Mounted on the fabric supporting,r cage is a lug 38, which lles 1n the path of saidpin 37. As the cylinder rotates the pin will engage the lug and canse the fabric cage to rotate therewith. A sec* ond lap; 39, is carried by a yielding member and is adapted to springr behind the pin 37, so that said pin 37, is held between the lugs 38. and 39. "lhe clutch shiftingr lever 10, shifts a rod 40, which is connected to the sleeve for controlling the clutch vvhich locks the gear lo' the slow speed" or high speed driving pulley. This clutch shifting lever ,10, is provided With a bracket. 41, which is adapted to engage a pin 42, when said lever 10, is shifted so as to bring about the oseillation of the needle cylinder. The pin 42, is connected toA the lug; 39, and the movement of the pin 42, throws the lug 39, out of the path of travel of the operating pin 37, so that when the needle cylinder is oscillated, the movement ofthe fabric receiving cage is suspended. On shifting the clutch lever 10, in the opposite direction, to cause the cylinder to rotate, the lugs 39, will be released and moved back into position behind the pin 37.

From the above, it will be apparent that I have provided a fabric receiving cage which .is rotated with the needle cylinder and which remains idle during the oscillations of the needle cylinder. This mechanism for rotating the fabric supporting cage or suspend ing its movement, per a1, forms nopart of the present invtiombut is shown, described and claimed in my eo-pendingapplication Serial Number 705,397, filedlv J une 24th, 1912.

Inv order to stop the knitting machine automatically. upon rthe sta .ting up of the rota tion of the fabric supporting cage, which l stop mechanism may be controlled'by the operator, I have provided the latch v24, with an arm `43, which extendsl to the opposite side of the pivot which attaches the latch 24, Y

to the arm'23. A rod 44,-is pivoted at its upper end to the varm 43, and said rod` "bent at its lower end to form a hook Mounted on a cross shaft 46, supported by suitable bearings inthe main frame is an arm 47. Said cross shaft 46, is also 'provided with a second arm 48. Therm 48, as shown in Fig. II, is located directly in front of the pattern chain 15, and is adapted 'to be engaged by the pattern lugs 16. When the lugs move into engagement with the arm 48, the arm 47, Will be rocked. The rod 44, is normally held out of the path of movement of the arm 47, by a .finger 49, carried b v a rock lever 50, pivotallyf supported on the shaft 19. This rock lever 50, has an arm; which is connected to a rod 51, and the rod 51, at its lower end extends through a bracket 52, and is pivotally attachedto a foot treadle. A spring 54, surrounds the This spring normally holds the rod raised and the finger ll-, thrown to' the right, as viewed in -Fig, Il. This finger thus posi tioned holds the rod all, out of the path of vement of the arm i?, on the cross shaft ne. Tlirod is moved into the path of ai?, Vwhen released by a spring 5S. I operation of m device is as follows: When the ila cage is idle and o remove the knitted n the treadle 53, and said treadle depressed. This moves the linger e9, the left, as viewed in Fig. ll, and permits the rod to swing into the path of 3;, movement of the arm e?. The pattern chain is being moved by its peeling mechanism, and il the pattern lng is brought into action, so as to start into motion the paivling mechaniszn, which controls the drum 13, so as to TEt the clutch lever i0, said lng will rst i sti-lire the arm 48, and move the arm el?, so as to canse the saine to engage the bent enel e5, ot rod relet, and pull down on the same.

This downward movement of the rod 44 e shifts the latch 2e, as to bring the pin 26, intoregister with the slot 25, and the spring 22, at once s` ii'ts the belt shifting lever 18, so as to throw the belt' onto the idle pulley, V and h'hns stop the machine. The'machine Se may also be stopped readily by the hand lever 56, which s attached to, and is capable oisivinging th atch 2e', so as to allow the l belt sniiting lever i8, to be strung1 by the snri is envious that minor changes in the o construction and the arrangement of parts may beniade Without departing vtroni the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims. n lilaving thus described my invention, l

' ln knitting machine, the combination receiver, adapted to rotate .with cylinder. ano adapted to remain k. the oscillations of the needle c lc manually controlled means or c receiver, adapted .to rotate with cylinder ard to remain idle duri ations of the needle-cylinder, shiiftable member and means con- ;ebj, whereby the pattern meche ,the machine to automat- ,V '1 be e the clutch shifting lever vis moved Ato canse the fabric receiving cage ro" te ln a knitting machine', the combination o? fabric receiver adapted to rotate with "eedle cylin 1 r, and to remain idle duroscill or oring or arornially .r to sten the of a fabric receiver,l adapted to rotate with :ne needle cylinder.,-

machine, a latch for holding the belt shifting lever with the belt on the driving pulley, and manually controlled means for automatically releasing said latch to stop-the machine before the parts of the machine are shifted to start the rotation or the fabric receiving cage.

4. ln a knitting machine, the combination oit a fabric receiver, adapted' to rotate with the needle cylinder, and adapted to remain idle during the oscillations of the needle cylinder, a belt shii'tino lever, means for yieldingly holdin/gid 1 elt shifting lever with 'a belt on the idle pulley, a latch for holding said belt shifting lever with the belt on the driving pulley, a rod attachedto said latch for shifting the same to release the belt shifting lever, Aan arm oscillated by the pattern mechanism, mannally controlled means for permitting said rod to be engaged by said arm for automatically releasing the latch, through the shifting of the pattern mechanism.

5. ln a knitting machine, the combination the needle cylinder, and adapted to remain Q0 idle during the oscillations of the needle cylinder, a belt shifting lever, means for yieldingly'holding said belt shitinglever with a belt on the I idle pulley, a latch for holding said belt shifting lever with the belt. on the driving pulley, a rod attached to said latch for shifting the same to release the belt shifting lever, an arm oscillated by the pattern mechanism, a rock shaft, means carried by the rock'shaft for holding said rod out of the path of movement of said oscillating arm, and aV treadle for shifting the rock shaft to permit said rod to be engaged by said arm.

6. ln a knitting machine, the combination or a fabric receiver, adapted to 'rotate with thel needle cylinder, and adapted to remain idle during thez oscillations of the needle cylinder, a belt shifting lever, means foryieldingly holding said belt shifting lever with abelt on the idle pulley, a latch for `holding said belt shifting lever with the belt on the driving pulley, a-rod attached to said latch for shifting the same to release the belt shifting lever, an` arm oscillated by the pattern mechanism, a rock shaft, means carried by the rock shaft for holding said rod out of the path of movement of said oscillating arm, a' treadle for shifting the 120 rock shaft to permit said rod to be engaged Y by. said -a-rm, and a spring for normally holding said treadle raised and said rod out of the path of movement of said arm. 'l 7 In combination in a knitting machine having a rotary and oscillating needle cylindex', a let-od4 mechanism, a fabric cage.`

vwith means for rotating .it when the needle cylinder rotated and for allovvin` it to remain at rest when the cylinder is oecflated, 1go

a pattern mechanism controlling and timing the rotary and oscillatory movements of the cylinder and a connection to be set manually to cause said pattern mechanism to operate the let-off mechanism insteadA ofthe cylinder and enge rotating mechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphiaa Pennsy1 ;l Vania, this twenty-first day of October, 1912 ALBERT M. PIGEON..."

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

